Interactive vision therapy board

Abstract

A light board machine useful for visual training and therapy purposes includes a planar backboard having an array of light locations having two colored lights (red and green), a microprocessor controller for controlling the operation, sequencing and timing of the lights, and a user-feedback device, such as a touch-activated panel, which cooperate to provide visual training and therapy functions. The present invention includes the option to use red (lights) only, green only or red and green in a random order. The present invention also includes letters and numbers behind some of the lights (e.g. 80 of the 120 lights), and has a sequential pattern option of 30, 60, 90 or 120 lights. This invention is compatible with the use of red / green glasses to accommodate training of binocularity and depth. This invention is used in a therapy setting and will helps to enhance eye hand coordination, response / reaction time, peripheral vision / awareness, localization, awareness of space and depth perception, eye tracking (saccades and occulomotor), sequential movement and processing, as well as a cognitive loading component that therapists use in a variety of ways for individual patients and specific therapy modalities.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 278,819 filed Oct. 13, 2009, by the present inventor for an invention entitled “Interactive Vision Therapy Board”, currently co-pending.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates general to vision therapy devices. The present invention is more particularly, though not exclusively, useful as a visual therapy training device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to visual training. In order to fully appreciate the functions and benefits of the present invention, it is necessary to discuss what is, visual training, and how it can be enhanced.[0004]Nearly all humans are born with the potential for good eyesight, but vision—the ability to identify, interpret and understand what is seen—is learned and developed, starting at birth. In learning to walk, a child begins by creeping, crawling, standing, walking with assistance, and finall...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]This invention is used in a therapy setting and will helps to enhance eye hand coordination, response / reaction time, peripheral vision / awareness, localization, awareness of space and depth perception, eye tracking (saccades and occulomotor), sequential movement and processing. With the letters and numbers that are randomly placed on the lights this invention will have a cognitive loading component to it that therapist will be able to use in a variety of ways which can be customized for individual patients and specific therapy modalities.

Problems solved by technology

But many people miss a step, or do not complete a step, or must begin to perform school or other visually demanding tasks before an acceptable foundation of basic visual skill is in place.

Intelligent persons who are very highly motivated can be good achievers, even with very poor visual skills and abilities, but at untold cost in wasted energy and unnecessary effort and stress.

For those who are less motivated, even one or two deficient visual skills can produce enough stress and frustration to create a non-achiever

Many problems in learning to read and write are made worse by poorly developed visual skills.

However, for a repeat patient, this sequence of lights becomes too familiar and therefore a falsely high score can be achieved through memorization of the sequence and not improvement of eye-hand coordination.

Despite the understanding of the importance of visual training and therapy, there has been little advancement in devices available to that industry to accomplish these training and therapy tasks.

As a result, the currently available devices fall short in optimizing the training regimens.

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